Texas Foreclosure Filings, Sales Down in November

COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center) – Foreclosure activity in Texas was down last month, according to the latest figures from RealtyTrac. November foreclosure filings for the Lone Star State totaled 10,124, down 24.3 percent from a year ago. Total year-to-date (YTD) filings were at 115,222, down 18.9 percent. Nationally, there were 224,394 filings, down 14.5 percent from November 2010. Total YTD filings were at 2.5 million, down 30.1 percent. There were 6,247 posted foreclosure sales in Texas last month, down 19.1 percent from a year ago. YTD postings were down 17.3 percent, at 69,473. Meanwhile, there were 96,540 posted foreclosure sales nationally last month, down 38.3 percent from last year. YTD postings were at 994,887, down 33.2 percent. Real Estate Center Research Economist Dr. Jim Gaines said the impact of foreclosure moratoria from the pending agreement with states’ Attorneys General slowed foreclosures for all of 2011. But that will likely mean more foreclosure activity going into the new year. “The pent-up foreclosure processing is expected to bust loose in 2012, so we expect to see significant percentage increases in the monthly reports for at least the first half of 2012, if not the whole year,” he said. But that’s nationally. Gaines said Texas should fare better. “Posted delinquencies here are falling, and Texas is a non-judicial foreclosure state, so many lenders haven’t stopped processing foreclosures, thereby preventing a backlog from forming,” he said.